The American journal of physiology
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We studied the effect of nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, on the increases in cerebral blood flow (CBF) elicited by stepwise elevations in arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2) from normocapnia up to 204 mmHg. Rats were anesthetized with halothane and ventilated. CBF was monitored over the parietal cortex using a laser-Doppler flowmeter. ⋯ Reduction of resting CBF (-50 +/- 4%; n = 6) by administration of chloralose (20-40 mg/kg i.v.) did not attenuate the CBF response to hypercapnia (P > 0.05). We also found that the attenuation by L-NAME of resting CBF (n = 5) and of the cerebrovasodilation elicited by hypercapnia (n = 6) has a relatively slow time course, the effects reaching a maximum 45-60 min after intravenous administration of the drug. We conclude that L-NAME does not attenuate the CBF response to CO2 uniformly at all levels of hypercapnia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The immunocytochemical detection of Fos, the protein product of the immediate-early gene c-fos, was used as a marker for activated neurons to examine whether the C1 neurons in the rat rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) respond to changes in baroreceptor afferent activity. After hydralazine-induced hypotension or sinoaortic denervation, two treatments that reduce baroreceptor afferent activity, numerous Fos-positive neurons were observed in the RVLM. ⋯ Furthermore, in hydralazine-treated rats, the majority of Fluorogold-labeled Fos-positive neurons contained PNMT. These results suggest that C1 neurons are sensitive to baroreceptor afferent input and support a role of these neurons in cardiovascular regulation.
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The present study investigates ATP effects on Ca2+ mobilization in bovine glomerular endothelial cells (GEC) and the receptors mediating ATP response. Extracellular ATP stimulated a rise in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner. Extracellular Ca2+ depletion did not prevent [Ca2+]i rise. ⋯ ATP and UTP induced specific cross-desensitization. It is concluded that the purinergic nucleotide ATP and pyrimidine nucleotide UTP mediate their effects by a common nucleotide receptor. This receptor differs from P2z and P2y1 receptors, since by definition UTP does not activate these receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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To investigate the role of autonomic reflexes in stroke-work optimization, we studied ventriculoarterial coupling in unanesthetized dogs with the autonomic system intact and blocked. Ventricular contractility was quantified by the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relation, ventricular elastance (Ees). Arterial system properties were quantified by the ratio of end-systolic pressure to stroke volume, arterial elastance (Ea). ⋯ After autonomic blockade, Ees tended to decrease during nitroprusside and increased during angiotensin II infusion in parallel with changes in Ea, so that the Ea-to-Ees ratio did not change from baseline as much as it did with the autonomic system intact. Again, the left ventricle maintained nearly 90% of its maximal stroke work. Thus, over a wide range of afterload, stroke work was kept near its theoretical maximum, independent of autonomic neural regulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)